By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Former Police Officer Mary Ferguson says she will decline the city’s offer of $150,000 to settle her case against the city, police department and former police chief Jeff Ankerfelt.
The city recently settled two other cases related to complaints against the Sitka Police Department. The city paid $30,000 to settle a suit filed by former jailer Noah Shepard, and $325,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Officer Ryan Silva.
Ferguson said she “quickly declined” the offer from the city’s outside attorney Michael Gatti because, she said, the city has not accepted “any sort of responsibility or wrong-doing.”
“I think it is paramount in a case like this that this conduct is not swept under the rug,” she said in an email. “Unfortunately, I have to share my experience, witnesses and evidence of this misconduct in trial since the city continues to disregard the pleas made by numerous members of the SPD, for a true, independent investigation where they will all have an opportunity to share their experiences with individuals still employed at the Sitka Police Department.”
Ferguson has about 10 days from the date she received the offer to accept it. City Attorney Brian Hanson said, “If the offer was accepted the judgment would be paid by our insurance company.”
Ferguson filed her lawsuit in October 2018, alleging violation of her civil and human rights, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and the state whistleblower act; and the intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Her civil trial is set for June.